


Strangers to Love

by threerings



Series: Strangers To Love [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alcohol-influenced Sex, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Version of the Sochi Banquet, Anal Sex, But with clear consent, Falling In Love, Grand Prix Final Banquet, M/M, Oral Sex, POV Victor Nikiforov, Post-Banquet, Texting, Victor Gets Protective of Drunk Yuuri, Victor is in lust and awe, Yuuri is tipsy and emotional, naturally leading to kissing, they talk about dogs and skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-14
Packaged: 2018-11-13 05:26:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11177988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/threerings/pseuds/threerings
Summary: Victor takes on the responsibility of watching out for the stunningly beautiful  drunk Japanese skater at the Sochi Grand Prix Final Banquet.   But he wasn't counting on falling in love.  Now he only has one night to try and catch Yuuri's attention as much as Yuuri has already caught his.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Content Warning: Takes place during and after the Sochi GPF banquet. The banquet goes a little differently and Yuuri doesn't get as drunk as in canon. Plus there are other mitigating factors. In my opinion, by the time there's sexual activity, Yuuri's fully able to consent. But he is still somewhat under the influence of alcohol, so if that's going to bother you, this probably isn't the fic for you. 
> 
> Slightly less important content warning: Discussion of Vicchan's death.

Victor was bored. Incredibly bored. And smiling. He thought that was possibly the worst feeling in the world: bored but smiling. The banquet after the Grand Prix Final was always the same: mediocre food, watery drinks, tepid music, annoying sponsors. 

When he’d been younger, when he was first winning he hadn’t minded. He’d been swept up in the whirlwind of having all eyes on him, of everyone congratulating him and singing his praises. But now winning didn’t make up for having to put up with everyone wanting a piece of him. He knew it was important to keep his sponsors happy. He relied on their money, after all. And he was determined to be gracious to the other skaters and their coaches. That was a rule he had set himself (with Yakov’s gruff encouragement.)

But having to pretend he was thrilled to be here when he would have rather been back in his hotel room doing literally anything else...that was near torture. Victor thanked the latest bland face saying bland things and managed to make his excuses, making sure he didn’t walk _too_ quickly away and towards the alcohol. He wished it was an open bar. They were in Russia, after all, but he couldn’t even get vodka. He snagged a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray and moved towards the dance floor where many of the skaters stood in clusters. 

Once he was out of direct line-of-sight of Yakov he downed his champagne in one go and looked around for somewhere to get another. He spotted a table against one wall with a bunch of empty glasses and moved to deposit his among them. As he turned back around he bumped into someone who also held an empty champagne flute. 

“Sorry,” said Victor, grasping the other man’s arm to steady him. He seemed to have possibly had a few glasses already from the way he swayed. The other man looked up, meeting Victor’s eyes and Victor sucked in a breath. The beauty of the man’s eyes stunned him. They were a rich mahogany brown that he’d never seen on anyone else. And they were large, surrounded by thick black lashes. Victor belatedly realized the eyes were wide because their owner was staring up at him, seemingly dumbfounded. 

Victor also realized he knew who this was. He was the Japanese skater, Katsuki, who had come in last. Victor had never talked to him or seen him up close before. He would have remembered if he had because Katsuki was stunning. It wasn’t just his eyes, though they made the most immediate impression. His face was beautiful as a whole. There was something especially attractive about him at this moment, maybe a little drunk, his hair ruffled, his plump lips parted in surprise. Victor realized they’d been staring at each other for much longer than was polite. 

He cleared his throat. “Hi, I’m Victor,” he said. Katsuki startled a bit at that, as if shocked at being spoken to. Did he not speak English?

“I know,” the brown-eyed man said and then blushed furiously. Victor couldn’t help a delighted smile springing onto his face. “I mean I...umm, congratulations.” The Japanese man’s expression clouded a bit with that and Victor wondered if this competitor resented him for winning. He often wondered that about other skaters. They were invariably polite to his face, or even enthusiastic about his performances, but Victor always wondered how much they might secretly wish him ill. 

“Thanks,” he said, after a bit too long of a pause. He almost made a statement of sympathy on the man’s last place finish, but bit it back. He hadn’t seen his performances and he didn’t really know anything of his career. Besides if he did resent Victor’s win, he’d hardly welcome commiseration from him. It always rang false from him anyway; Victor didn’t have much experience losing. 

“Excuse me,” Katsuki said, suddenly. He turned swiftly on his heel and hurried away, empty glass still clutched in his hand. Victor blew out a breath. The only interesting thing to happen so far at this party had been discovering how beautiful one of his competitors was, and it seemed he wanted nothing to do with Victor. 

“Something wrong, Victor darling?” cooed a voice from just behind his shoulder. He smiled and turned to Christophe. 

“Just that I need another drink.” Chris raised an eyebrow and eyed him skeptically. 

“Nothing to do with our gorgeous Japanese friend?” Victor glared at his friend and slid an arm around his waist, drawing him away in the opposite direction from the one Katsuki had taken. He steered for another tray of drinks, grabbing two. He drained the first one quickly and replaced it, taking the second with him into a dim corner. Chris followed him, pausing to secure a glass of his own, finishing the one he had in his hand. 

Victor let his eyes trace down and back up Chris’s figure as he approached, trying to read his friend’s mood. Victor himself was feeling increasingly restless and uncomfortable in his skin. If Chris was looking for a night’s company, it might suit Victor tonight to give it to him. Chris came to lean against the wall next to Victor and gave him an expectant look. 

“What?” asked Victor innocently. Chris laughed.

“You know what. I saw you watching him. And now you’re watching _me._ Feeling lonely?” It was asked teasingly, but Victor sensed the serious question under his friend’s words. He sighed.

“Maybe.” And maybe that _was_ it after all. It had been a long time since he’d had a lover, a long time since he’d even spent a good amount of time with a friend. His life was filled with training, competition, travel… All that had been exciting when he was younger now failed to satisfy him. 

“Well I’m sorry, mon cher, but I’m spoken for.” Victor looked at his friend with surprise.

“Oh? Who?” Victor wondered if one of their competitors had caught Chris’s eye this time. He fervently hoped it _wasn’t_ Katsuki. Something of his thoughts must have shown on his face.

“Oh, he’s not here, Victor, don’t worry.” Chris slid his arm under Victor’s in a gesture of camaraderie. “But I’m no longer a _free agent_ , if you will.”

“When did this happen? Is it serious?” Victor was surprised. Chris was infamous for playing the field and not forming long-term attachments. Chris answered him with an ambiguous gesture.

“Serious enough not to want to ruin it with a random hook-up, even with someone as beautiful and as _entertaining_ as you.” Chris kissed him lightly on the cheek and Victor smiled at him. He certainly didn’t resent Chris for rebuffing him. He was happy if Chris had finally met someone worth keeping around a while. 

“Well I wish you luck, then. Does he know he’s going to make a lot of people on the skating circuit very sad?” Chris scoffed in mock offense and shoved Victor, dropping his arm. 

“Back on more interesting topics...” Chris began. 

“No, no, I think this mystery man of yours is definitely an interesting topic,” Victor interrupted. 

Chris ignored him. “Yuuri Katsuki, eh?”

“Yuuri,” Victor repeated, glad to learn the man’s first name. He remembered having heard it now, of course. He’d thought of young Yuri Plitsetsky and hadn’t been sure if he’d heard correctly.

“You didn’t know his name?” 

“I’d forgotten his first name. I remembered Katsuki,” Victor said a bit defensively. 

“Mmm, so were you just planning on lusting after him from afar or, now that you know his name are you going to go exert some Nikiforov charm?” Victor winced.

“I think possibly I’ve misplaced the Nikiforov charm.”

“Never!” insisted Chris. 

“No, really, I talked to him already. He...didn’t seem interested.” Chris’s eyes went wide. “Hmm, maybe he’s straight,” Victor mused.

“Him? Mon cher, I’m sorry, but _no._ ”

“You know something?” asked Victor quickly. “Wait, _why_ do you know?” he finished suspiciously.

“Calm down, nothing like that. I promise, I have not had the opportunity. No, I just am pretty sure he’s interested in men.”

“You know him, though? I mean, from other events?”

“Yeah we’ve been at a couple together. We were both at NHK this year. I can’t tell you much, though. He’s a quiet one, doesn’t spend a lot of time with other skaters. I don’t think it’s snobbery or anything; I think he’s shy.” 

Victor sipped his champagne and considered this. ‘Shy’ might explain their earlier interaction. He was starting to feel the earlier glasses he’d downed. He tried to think of an opening that would let him talk to the beautiful Japanese skater again but he couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound like a terrible cheesy pick-up line. 

“Oh, now what’s going on?” Chris interrupted his train of thought. Victor realized the music coming from the dance floor had changed to something much livelier and more contemporary. He followed Chris, who was already moving in that direction. 

Victor saw there was a circle of onlookers surrounding the dance floor and blocking it from view. Laughter and whoops of encouragement sounded from the crowd. When Victor managed to squeeze in to the circle next to Chris (thanks to someone automatically moving out of his way on the right) he was astounded by what he saw. The dance floor contained a handful of people, but the two taking up the most space were Yuri Plitsesky and Yuuri Katsuki. They were dancing...aggressively? Not together, but _at_ each other?

“It’s a dance-off!” explained a Junior girl on the far side of Chris. “Katsuki challenged Yuri!” Chris turned to Victor, wide-eyed.

“Shy?” asked Victor accusingly. Chris shrugged, at a loss to explain the seeming transformation. Yuuri and Yuri were throwing themselves around the floor with abandon, and without any respect for staying within a given style. They seemed to be trying to one-up each other continuously. 

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd as Yuuri dropped to the floor, spinning himself around before launching himself back up, hips first. 

“Is he...break-dancing?” asked Victor, amazed. He moved closer to the dance-floor to get a better view, adding his cheers to the crowd when Yuuri continued to out-dance the younger Yuri. Victor laughed at Yuri’s growing frustration. The cocky teen could do with a little humbling. 

Before too long, even Yuri had to admit defeat. Yuuri Katsuki was loudly proclaimed the winner by the crowd. He staggered away off the dance floor and right into Victor. Victor caught a hold of the shoulder which had bumped him. 

Yuuri spun to face him. “Sorry! Oh! Victor!” And then he giggled. The sound made Victor laugh as well, automatically drawing him in. “We keep running into each other!” said Yuuri and then laughed loudly. Victor laughed with him, enjoying the sparkle in those deep brown eyes. “Excuse me, I need more champagne.” 

“O-okay,” managed Victor in response. Yuuri spun again and was headed off through the crowd before Victor thought better of it. “Wait! Are you sure-” He followed after the Japanese skater as he headed into the main room of the banquet. On his way he passed a table bearing glasses of water and he grabbed one and continued to follow Yuuri. 

He caught up to the man as he was lifting a champagne flute from a tray. “Wait, Yuuri!” Victor called. Yuuri looked in his direction and blushed. “Are you sure you need more champagne, you seem a little...tipsy?” Yuuri just blinked at him. “Here,” said Victor, offering the glass of water. “Drink this first, at least.” 

“It’s yours,” said Yuuri, looking at the sweating water glass.

“No, I got it for you,” replied Victor bemusedly. 

“Oh, really? Ok.” Victor exchanged glasses with Yuuri, who drank the water thirstily. Victor sipped at the champagne. Yuuri looked wounded. “That’s _my_ drink you’re drinking.” 

Victor smiled at him with all the charm he could muster. “I need to catch up to you.” He took Yuuri by the elbow and directed him to a chair a good distance from the drinks. “Let’s sit.” Thankfully, Yuuri followed his suggestion. “A word of advice: alternate your drinks with glasses of water. Prevents hangover.”

“Really?” Yuuri was staring at him intently.

“Of course. I’m Russian; I know drinking.” Victor felt grateful when Yuuri laughed at that. A silence fell between them and suddenly the amount of eye contact they’d maintained felt awkward. Victor drank more champagne to cover it and saw Yuuri gulping his water, too. Victor frantically searched his brain for something to say that wouldn’t sound idiotic. But none of the small talk topics he came up with seemed to fit the situation. He took another drink of wine, finishing the glass all too quickly. He set the flute down awkwardly. 

“Dance with me?” asked Yuuri. Victor looked up at him, surprised. Yuuri’s face was flushed, whether with drink or exertion or embarrassment. And he looked nervous. But he held his hand out to Victor, who had to remind himself to breathe. He wordlessly placed his hand in the other skater’s and then he was being pulled out of his chair and onto the dance floor.

The music had returned to what was probably the standard playlist for the ballroom, but the piece playing now was a Spanish classical guitar song. The beat was quick and Yuuri led him into an energetic dance. Yuuri was clearly drunk, but his athlete’s grace showed through in the lines of his body. Victor copied his exaggerated movements and they were soon laughing together as they posed dramatically. They fell into a parody of different Spanish dance styles: salsa and flamenco. Victor realized Yuuri must have a fairly extensive dance background from his confidence and fluency. 

Victor doubled over in laughter after they acted out a matador and bull. He had hardly straightened up before Yuuri slid an arm around his waist and let him into a tango. They were mostly ignoring the beat of the music now, and laughter rang out around them at their exaggerated movements. But in the space between their bodies, something else bloomed. Real heat flashed between them, carried on their breaths and when their eyes met. Yuuri pulled him closer and Victor slid his hand lower on his back. They moved closer together, their breath mingling, and then Yuuri dipped Victor backwards over his leg. Victor felt light-headed and stumbled after Yuuri lifted him back up. When they came back together, they pressed tightly against each other, both leaning in. Victor wanted to kiss him and for a moment thought Yuuri might kiss him first, but he didnt’t and they moved apart after a couple of beats. 

The song ended soon after and Victor was left gasping and in need of his own glass of water. He went to fetch one for himself and one for Yuuri as well. When he got back, though, he found someone had given Yuuri an entire _bottle_ of champagne and he was dancing with it, pouring the drink into his throat with abandon. He walked up to him.

“Yuuri, I brought you water,” he said, with disapproval. Yuuri gestured with the bottle as if in answer. Victor spotted Chris over Yuuri’s shoulder. He caught the Swiss skater’s eye and looked at Yuuri significantly. Chris shrugged, but came up to Yuuri and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Yuuri, mon petit, do you have any champagne for me?” Yuuri giggled, moving to pour from the bottle into Chris’ mouth. Chris stopped him by grasping the neck of the bottle. “Here, I don’t want to get any on my shirt, it’s my favorite shirt,” he purred. Yuuri relinquished the bottle.

“That _is_ a nice shirt, Christophe,” he said admiringly, staring at the Swiss man’s muscular chest. Chris gave Victor a significant look over Yuuri’s head and Victor heard the “told you so” clearly. Chris took a swig from the bottle and Victor tried to get Yuuri’s attention so he could pass him the water glass. He definitely was not feeling jealous because Yuuri was eyeing Chris’ chest. Definitely.

Yuuri finally took the water and sipped from it. Victor tried to steer him back to a chair, but Yuuri was weaving in diagonals, flicking his attention between Victor and the dance floor. He took a step awkwardly and stumbled, dropping the almost full glass of water. It hit the carpeted floor and didn’t shatter, thankfully, but the water splashed up everywhere. It soaked one leg of Yuuri’s trousers and left a large spot on the floor. 

Victor steadied Yuuri with a hand to his arm. “Are you ok?” 

“Ergh, yeah, just turned my ankle a little,” Yuuri said, brushing at the water on his leg. 

“Are you sure you’re ok? Can you walk on it?” An injury would be terrible for a skater in the middle of the season, especially one the result of drunken stumbling instead of an on-ice mistake. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, fine,” Yuuri assured him, taking a few steps away. 

Chris bent down to retrieve the fallen glass to prevent anyone stepping on it. Victor gestured to his friend and then leaned in to say in his ear, “I think he needs to get out of here before he hurts himself, can you help me?” Chris nodded, placing the champagne bottle with the empty glass on a nearby table. 

“Yuuri?” Chris approached the Japanese man. 

“Chris! Did you see what happened? Urgh, I need to just take these off.” Yuuri’s hands went to the button of his trousers. Victor surged forward to stop him. Chris was too busy laughing. Victor glared at him, catching Yuuri’s hands.

“Yuuri,” he said seriously, tugging on the other man’s hands until he met his eyes. “Not here, ok, let’s get you to your room.” Yuuri looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. Victor exhaled. “Ok, Chris and I will help you to your room, right, Chris?”

“Sure,” the Swiss man replied and Victor sent him a grateful look. “I didn’t get a chance to dance with him, though.” Victor’s look became much less grateful.

“Oh! We..we can dance,” Yuuri said, turning back to the dance floor and Chris. Victor fumed at Chris from behind Yuuri’s head. 

“No, Yuuri, you need to change out of your wet trousers,” he reminded him. 

“Well...” started Chris but he fell silent when he saw Victor’s expression. Whatever idea Chris had just had, he didn’t want to hear it. 

“Come on, both of you,” Victor said, taking Yuuri’s hand and pulling him out of the banquet. 

~~

It took them a couple tries to find Yuuri’s hotel room. Yuuri remembered it was on the 7th floor, but he hadn’t been sure if the number was 749 or 794. It was the latter, and the woman in 749 hadn’t been very understanding when they woke her up trying to open her door.

They eventually did get Yuuri into his hotel room. Yuuri pulled away from Victor, who had his arm around him, supporting him. 

“Ok, I’m going to change my pants, then we can get back to the party,’ he said, digging through a drawer. Victor wondered if he was going to change right there. He also wondered how he could possibly stall the younger man and keep him from rushing back to the banquet. But Yuuri pushed past Victor and Chris and disappeared into the bathroom holding some track pants. 

Victor looked at Chris for help. Chris shrugged. He leaned close to Victor and whispered. “I heard there was an after-party in Cao Bin’s room.” Victor glared at him.

“Do NOT tell _him_ that!” Victor looked around the room frantically. His eyes lit on the small coffee pot. _Perfect._

“Yuuri!,” he called through the door. “I’m going to make some coffee, ok?”

“Sure!” came the cheerful response. Victor hurried to set the coffee to brew. Hopefully it would help sober Yuuri up a little. 

Yuuri emerged from the bathroom a short time later, looking a bit more put together. His face was less flushed and his hair had been slicked back neatly. His shirt was neatly buttoned where it had gaped open earlier, though it didn’t go very well with the black and blue track pants he wore now. 

Yuuri sat on the bed and they waited for the coffee to brew. 

“Is your ankle ok?” asked Victor. Yuuri looked at him for a moment as if he didn’t know what he was talking about, but then he seemed to recall.

“Oh, yeah, it’s fine!” There was another silence. Chris straightened from where he was leaning against the wall in the entryway.

“So, if you guys are ok, I’m going to go,” he said.

“Oh, are you going back to the banquet?” asked Yuuri. Victor narrowed his eyes at Chris. 

“No, I’ve got...I’ve got a phone call to make,” the Swiss man replied.

“Oh, ok,” said Yuuri. “Well, goodnight, I guess.”

“Goodnight,” said Chris, shooting Victor a look before he opening the door. He winked at Victor and then left. 

“Isn’t it kinda late for a phone call?” wondered Yuuri. 

“Not as late in Switzerland, I guess. He’s probably calling his boyfriend.” 

“He’s got a boyfriend?” Victor couldn’t tell if Yuuri sounded disappointed.

“Apparently,” offered Victor. “Something like that at least.” 

Victor looked around the room

“Your coffee’s done,” the other man said finally.

“Oh!” said Victor, brightly. “Great!” He was glad to have something to do. He poured a cup for himself, mixing in some sugar (but none of that horrible powdered creamer.) “How do you take yours?”

“Oh. I hardly ever drink coffee,” said Yuuri, frowning. 

“Oh,” said Victor, who didn’t really care for it either. “But you’ve had quite a bit to drink, I thought you might need some.” 

“Umm, sure, then. Cream and sugar.” Victor added the contents of a few packets to Yuuri’s coffee and handed it to him with a stir stick. Victor carried his own cup to the loveseat in front of the window. It was the only place to sit besides the bed. 

While he did that he returned to his list of conversation topics. He selected one almost at random. “So, do you train in Japan?”

Yuuri startled a bit, looking at him with wide eyes. Victor cursed himself for such a lame opener. “No, actually. Detroit.”

“Oh, who’s your coach?”

“Celestino.” Victor nodded. 

“Do you like it? Living in America, I mean.”

“Mmm, yes and no.” Yuuri sipped at his coffee, wincing slightly. Victor sympathized. It wasn’t very good. “There are people there I like, friends...and it’s interesting. But I miss home.”

“How long have you be living there?” 

“Almost five years.”

“Wow, that’s a long time to be away from home. How often do you get back?” Yuuri flinched.

“I...haven’t.”

“What? Not at all?” 

“Well, I’ve been to Japan, for competition, of course. But not home.” Yuuri looked sad. “There hasn’t been time, between competitions, training, and school.”

“Where’s home in Japan?”

“Hasetsu, in Kyushu. It’s a little oceanfront town.”

“Oh. I’m from St. Petersburg. Also on the ocean, though a little colder, I imagine.” Yuuri smiled at that.

“I know.”

“Oh.” Victor supposed everyone in skating knew where he lived. It made this conversation feel lopsided, a bit unfair. For a moment their conversation had flowed, it had felt Yuuri was opening up. He hated to start interrogating the other man again. 

“This coffee is terrible,” said Yuuri. Victor snorted.

“Yeah, it is,” he admitted. “I think there’s tea over there if you’d rather. I just thought coffee would be better for...after drinking.”

“Do you want tea?” asked Yuuri. 

“If you do.” They looked at each other and Yuuri blushed a little. Victor sucked a breath through his teeth. He found the other man so adorable when he did that. 

“I’ll make it,” said Yuuri, standing up from the bed. He came over and reached for Victor’s cup. “If you’re done with that.” Victor handed over his cup, nodding. Their fingers brushed as the handle passed from Victor’s to Yuuri’s grip. Yuuri took the cups into the bathroom to dump and rinse them. Victor started wondering what exactly he was doing.

Here he was in the hotel room of this beautiful boy, who he’d only met tonight. Well, it was definitely not the first time that’d happened at a competition. But he’d brought Yuuri here not to seduce him, but to keep him safe. Yuuri had been clearly intoxicated beyond the ability to make completely rational decisions and he’d been headed towards more drunkenness. Normally, Victor wouldn’t have interfered. It was hardly his business, but seeing the shift in behavior from the shy man he’d spoken to earlier to the king of the dance floor… He’d grown concerned that Yuuri might do something he would regret. And in front of the entire skating upper crust and sponsors was a particularly poor time to make a fool out of yourself. 

The final straw had been his concern for the other skater’s physical well-being. Victor would have never forgiven himself if he’d gotten injured while drunk at a party, and he couldn’t imagine Yuuri would be happy either.

But now he was here, he found himself reluctant to leave, and not only because he worried Yuuri would get himself into more trouble. He thought the other man was sobering up a little. It probably wouldn’t actually be dangerous to leave him alone. But he found himself strongly attracted to this difficult to predict man, and he knew tonight might be his only hope of getting to know him before they both went their separate ways.

Yuuri returned from the bathroom, cups and carafe rinsed, water ready to be heated. He set the coffee maker to brew again, this time without coffee. He returned to sit on the bed, this time sitting on the side facing Victor so their knees were only a short distance apart. Victor smiled at him. Yuuri smiled back, a little shyly. 

Victor looked at Yuuri’s hands where they sat folded on his knees. Victor wanted to lean forward and capture them, cover them with his own. Instead he spoke, “I enjoyed dancing with you.” 

Yuuri’s mouth parted and Victor’s attention focused on his sensual lips. Yuuri bit his bottom lip and Victor nearly groaned aloud. He was shocked at his own sudden desire to grab at this man, to pull him into his lap, to press against him and claim his lips. 

Victor was shocked by the aggression of his feelings. He tended towards a passive style of seduction, when he set out to seduce. He made himself available, lured partners towards him, waited for them to pounce. He wasn’t the dominating type. And yet…

Yuuri stood up hastily and turned to walk back to the dresser and the coffee pot, now done heating the water. Victor took a deep breath. He didn’t understand his own feelings, what had triggered this response in him. And he also knew he couldn’t press himself on Yuuri, not with all the alcohol he’d consumed. But Yuuri did seem much less intoxicated than he had earlier…

“There’s several kinds here,” Yuuri called to him. “And I don’t really know what they are, since they’re mostly in Russian.”

“Oh.” Victor got up and went to look at the selection. “This one’s fine for me. What do you like?” 

“Hmm, I like lots of teas. Green, of course, at home, but maybe something stronger tonight.” He looked up at Victor who felt his cheeks heat unaccountably. What was wrong with him? They were talking about teas and Victor felt like a teenager again. He plucked one packet from the tray on the counter. 

“Here. This is pretty mild and floral. It’s what I’m having, too.” Yuuri took the packet and poured water into both of their mugs. Victor returned to the loveseat, but he sat on the right side, leaving the space he’d occupied before clearly vacant. He suppressed an urge to punch the air when Yuuri followed after him a moment later and sat next to him in the empty spot. 

Victor set his tea on the small table next to him to let it steep. Yuuri did the same. 

“Are you...you seem less drunk than you did?” Victor winced but he hadn’t been able to think of a better way to ask the question. Yuuri looked at him, a touch of amusement in his eyes.

“I’m...still a little drunk,” he admitted. 

“Just a little?” asked Victor, teasing a bit. 

“I didn’t get _that_ drunk.” 

“You almost took your pants off in a room full of skating sponsors.” Yuuri flushed and ducked his head. 

“And I asked you to dance,” he said after a moment, looking up at Victor through his eyelashes. 

“You have to be drunk for that?”

“Yes,” said Yuuri nodding, “Definitely.” Their eyes locked. Victor took a few breaths.

“Then I’m very glad you got drunk,” he said, giving in and leaning forward, his hand coming up to cup Yuuri’s cheek. He moved slowly but deliberately, watching for any retreating movement from Yuuri. Instead Yuuri leaned in to his touch, and soon Victor was bending his head to touch their lips together. 

Yuuri responded beautifully to his kiss, lips parting slightly, one hand coming up to grasp Victor’s shoulder. Victor held back a little, keeping the kiss soft, though part of him longed to crush Yuuri against him. Yuuri hummed against Victor’s lips, a little noise of pleasure. Victor couldn’t stop then from pressing his tongue between those lips, shivering as he felt Yuuri surrender to him. 

They kissed deeply, but taking their time, each new sensation explored thoroughly. Yuuri tasted of coffee and champagne, a strange combination that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Yuuri took his turn to explore Victor’s mouth as Victor had his, gripping Victor’s face with both hands. Warmth spread through Victor’s entire body, but he felt unhurried, content to simply enjoy the pleasure of kissing Yuuri. It thrilled him in a way that felt entirely new, or which at least he hadn’t felt since his first experiences with romance. Yuuri also seemed content to take his time, savoring each press of lips, swipe of tongue, and grasping of hands. 

Victor had no idea how much time had passed when they finally broke apart. Their kisses had slowed into lazy, sighing things. They parted with their foreheads pressed together, breathing into the same space. 

“What are you even doing here?,” asked Yuuri, whispering. “What are you doing kissing me?” 

Victor stiffened and drew back. His heart pounded in his chest. “Oh.” He withdrew his arms from around the other man. “Sorry...I...didn’t mean to impose.” Yuuri stared at him, uncomprehending. 

“Oh, no! No, I didn’t mean...” Yuuri’s eyes were wide and he gripped Victor’s forearms, holding him in place. “I meant...you’re Victor Nikiforov!” He said this as if it explained everything.

“Umm, yes?” Dread pooled in Victor’s stomach, anticipation of a coming blow tensing his body. He’d known it felt too good to be true.

“I meant what are _you_ doing with _me?_ I’m a loser. I _lost._ ” Victor must have looked confused because he continued. “I came in _last place._ ”

Victor still didn’t understand what that had to do with anything. “Yes? You had a bad free program.”

“A _terrible_ free program,” Yuuri agreed.

“I heard your short was good. I didn’t see it; I hadn’t skated yet.” Yuuri was looking at him as if waiting for him to realize something sad. “But I don’t understand. What does that have to do with… Is that why you got drunk?” Victor was lost. “Anyone can have a bad day,” he added.

Yuuri sighed, looking out the window over the city. “A really bad day,” he said, and there was such sadness in his voice. 

“Was there something else?” he asked. “Something else that happened, besides skating I mean.”

“Vicchan,” said Yuuri. Victor frowned at him. “My dog, Vicchan. He was hit by a car the night before. He died.” 

Victor gasped. “Oh no!” Yuuri’s eyes had filled with tears. “Oh my god, _Yuuri_ I’m so sorry! That’s _horrible!_ ” 

He reached forward and wrapped his arms around the smaller man, pulling him into his chest. Yuuri seemed surprised, but relaxed into him. Victor heard his breath catch a bit. 

“I can’t imagine what you’ve been going through. If my dog died...I don’t think I could skate at all! Oh, Yuuri.”

He rocked a little back and forth, arms tight around Yuuri. Yuuri was crying now, snuffling into Victor’s chest, small sobs shaking him. Victor stroked his back, trying to soothe. Victor’s own eyes stung with tears in sympathy. He truly couldn’t imagine anything worse to have happen during a competition. And here he was, pressing himself on Yuuri, worrying about his own desires, when Yuuri was dealing with such grief. Victor felt ashamed of his self-absorption. 

After a time, Yuuri’s sobs stopped, and eventually he straightened. He yanked off his glasses and scrubbed at his face. He looked a mess, but Victor’s heart clenched for him. 

Yuuri hunched into himself. His eyes darted around the room as he replaced his glasses. “I...I’ve...excuse me.” He jumped up and darted into the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. Victor felt self-conscious, sitting in the man’s hotel room, wondering if Yuuri just wished he would leave. But Victor felt he probably shouldn’t be alone, even more now than he had been before he’d known about his grief. 

Victor reached for his tea, now gone tepid, and sipped. He replayed Yuuri’s words from a few minutes ago. ‘What are you even doing here?’ He asked himself the question. He was here because he’d met an extraordinary boy at the banquet, and he couldn’t bear to part from him. What was it about Yuuri? He was beautiful, yes. Heart-stoppingly beautiful. But Victor had known a lot of beautiful people, had even slept with a lot of beautiful people. None of them had made him feel like this: so scared and nervous and like he was lit up from the inside. He desperately wanted Yuuri to like him, not just desire him, but really like him. He knew they were going in different directions, to opposite sides of the world, the very next day. He only had tonight to make an impression, to catch Yuuri’s interest in the same way his own had been caught.

Yuuri returned from the bathroom, once more composed, with a freshly washed face and damp hair. He moved hesitantly back towards Victor, but slowed, eventually settling into a sitting position on the edge of the mattress. The distance he carefully placed between them stung Victor a bit. 

“I’m sorry,” said Yuuri quietly. Victor frowned.

“For what?” 

Yuuri winced, looking down at his hands. “For...being such a mess.” Victor shifted on the loveseat, moving closer to Yuuri and leaning into the empty space between them. He longed to take the other man back into his arms, but held back, just out of reach. 

“You’re not a mess,” he said firmly. “If you want to see a mess, you should see me if anything happens to Makkachin.” Yuuri met his eyes at that. “That’s my dog, Makkachin,” Victor explained and Yuuri nodded. 

“If he gets even slightly injured or has a cut paw or something, I completely go to pieces. One vet finally told me to stop wasting their time. So, of course, I found another vet. But, seriously, Yuuri...” Victor trailed off, not sure talking about Yuuri’s loss was such a good idea. But Yuuri had smiled when Victor described his own panics. 

“Thanks,” Yuuri said. Victor’s heart surged, but he managed not to launch himself off the sofa. He looked around for a distraction. He picked up his tea again, sipping it. 

“Bleh, it’s completely cold,” he complained. He looked at Yuuri’s untouched tea mug to his side. “You didn’t even drink yours.”

Yuuri gave a small smile. “Yeah, I got distracted.” Victor smiled back at him widely. He got an idea.

“We could order some from room service? Or food? Are you hungry?” Yuuri looked surprised.

“It’s the middle of the night. Won’t they be closed?”

“Oh no! They stay open all night. Trust me.” Victor got up and went to the dresser to look for the menu. It was propped up behind the coffee pot and he quickly found what he was looking for. He brought it over to Yuuri. “See? Late Night Menu.”

Yuuri studied it. “Oh. I never order room service. Too expensive.” He was still reading, though. 

“Don’t worry about it tonight. My treat. Because I could definitely eat something.” This was a fantastic idea. It gave Victor a reason to stay in Yuuri’s room longer, and let Yuuri sober up more. And then maybe later…

“Mmm, maybe,” said Yuuri. “But I can’t let you pay.” 

“Why not?” 

Yuuri looked at him and lifted a hand in a gesture of incomprehension. “Because...I don’t know.” 

Victor shook his head. “Look, I insist. I won the gold medal, I pay for food. That’s fair, right?” Victor couldn’t count the number of times other skaters had used just this rationale on him. He didn’t truly mind, knowing he made significantly more money than all of them. 

Yuuri gave him a slightly ironic smile but sighed and said “okay, fine.” 

“Excellent!” said Victor and moved to sit next to Yuuri on the bed, looking at the menu over his shoulder. If that required him to rest his head on the shorter man’s shoulder and drape his arm around his waist, well, that was just how things were. 

They made their selections after some debate. Victor had suggested they order some caviar to start and Yuuri had laughed at him and told him not to be ridiculous. Victor had relented, but only because they didn’t have any vodka and it seemed wrong to have caviar without vodka. Finally Yuuri decided on a green salad with grilled chicken breast while Victor ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. 

Victor placed the call, making sure the order would be charged to his room. When he was done, Victor flopped back onto the pillows on the bed. Yuuri was still sitting at the foot of the bed but he turned to face Victor, legs crossed in front of him. 

“I really like your free program,” Yuuri offered. “It’s beautiful.” 

“Thank you,” replied Victor with a grin. “It’s not completely where I want it to be, in terms of presentation.” 

Yuuri gave a dry laugh. “You outscored everyone else by twenty points!” Victor shrugged. He was reminded why he rarely discussed his performances with competitors. “But I’d agree it’s not your best program ever.”

Victor stared at him in surprise. Yuuri blushed. “Umm, sorry, ignore me.”

“No, no, what _is_ my best program ever?” asked Victor, intrigued. Yuuri’s blush deepened and he looked away.

“Oh, I don’t know...”

“You wouldn’t have said that if you didn’t have something in mind,” pointed out Victor. 

“Oh, well, umm, I was thinking of your “Deathless” program from Vancouver.” Yuuri shrugged.

“Hmm, nothing more recent?” People always mentioned “Deathless.” It was one of his less subtle efforts, him portraying a skeletal immortal monster. It stuck in people’s memory, but when Victor looked back on it he thought he looked like a bad Halloween joke. 

“Oh, I don’t know. I guess it depends on what you like, or what makes something the best anyway. I mean, I know technically your more recent stuff is better, but, well, my favorite is older.” Yuuri paused, blushing again. Every time he blushed, Victor found himself smiling widely. This boy was dangerously adorable. 

“Well you can’t say that and not tell me,” he prodded.

“My favorite was your ‘Rusalka’,” said Yuuri, face still red. 

Victor raised his eyebrows at that. It _was_ an older program, from his second year as a senior skater. It had been the tail end of his androgynous period, when his hair was still long. He’d portrayed one of the legendary spirits of the drowned who lured men to their deaths in the water. He had always been proud of that program, but it was never a fan favorite. 

“Really?” he asked. “Why?”

Yuuri smiled shyly at him. “I...I loved it when I was young. I’d never seen anything so...beautifully sad.” He bit his lip before adding, “I spent the entire next day on the ice trying to copy it from memory, after I saw it.” 

“How old were you?” he asked softly.

“Oh, 13, I think?” He chuckled to himself a bit. “For months I wanted to grow my hair out like yours, but...”

“But?”

“...but the other kids made fun of me when I tried, especially my sister.” He smiled at Victor. The look in his eyes made Victor want to kiss him again. 

Instead Victor pulled his phone from his pocket. On a whim he pulled up his camera app and shot a photo of Yuuri. 

“Did you just take a picture?” Yuuri looked alarmed. Victor examined the shot. It hadn’t captured the sparkle of Yuuri’s eyes and the lighting was dim, but he looked lovely.

“Yup. It’s pretty decent, see?” He held the phone out for Yuuri. 

“Oh. That is pretty good.” Yuuri sounded surprised. “Are you...what are you going to do with it?” 

Victor shrugged. “Want me to post it? Or I could just keep it for my own enjoyment...” 

“Oh, I don’t do social media much.” Victor took that as an answer.

“That’s too bad,” he mused. “I’m sure your legions of adoring fans think you’re very cruel.”

Yuuri laughed. “ _You’re_ the one with legions of fans, not me.” 

“I sincerely doubt that, Mr. Katsuki.” Victor pulled up a search window and put in Yuuri’s name. He found Yuuri’s instagram page and opened it. He had a fair number of followers for a figure skater, especially considering it looked like he never posted. “Look, you have thirty thousand followers who are anxiously waiting for your first pic in...nine months? Wow, Yuuri, you _are_ bad at social media. If it weren’t for this phichit-chu guy tagging you you’d have practically nothing. Who is that, is he a skater too?” Another possibility occurred to Victor. “Or...boyfriend? Ex? I hope?” 

He looked up from his phone at Yuuri, who was staring at him wide-eyed. Victor’s stomach dropped. “Wait, _is_ he your boyfriend?”

“What? _No._ No, no, definitely not.” And then Yuuri started giggling. Victor watched him, bemused, as the other skater fell sideways, still giggling. He didn’t seem able to stop, from the gasps for air and the way he was holding his belly. Victor wondered if he was being laughed at, if he had said something truly stupid. When Yuuri didn’t seem inclined to stop and he was feeling less and less amused, Victor turned back to his phone, pulling up phichit-chu’s page and scrolling through. He was a very active instagrammer with...almost as many followers as Victor? How was that possible? It looked like he was actually a skater, based in Detroit like Yuuri. A couple of pages back Victor found a picture of Yuuri on the ice with a ‘good luck at the GPF’ message from his friend. 

He looked back at Yuuri, who had finally stopped laughing and was wiping tears from his eyes. “Yuuri? You ok?” Unfortunately this caused a few more giggles to escape Yuuri’s mouth. Victor sighed.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Victor left Yuuri to pull himself together while he went to open the door. The staff person wheeled a cart into the room with their food, setting it up as a table in front of the loveseat. Victor gave him a tip and saw him out of the room. Yuuri had moved to the loveseat and was looking under the covers to find his plate of food. 

“Man, I don’t know if I can eat after that...” Yuuri said, taking a sip of the water included on the tray. 

Victor moved to sit next to him and uncovered his own plate. “Are you going to explain what that was all about?” he asked, a bit petulantly. 

Yuuri grinned. “It...it’s hard to explain. I mean, there’s nothing really _to_ explain. Phichit is my roommate, best friend, rink mate… He would have found it hilarious that you thought he might be my boyfriend, too.”

“Why? Is he super straight?” Victor took a bite of his greasy burger. There were times when only junk food would do, and 2AM after the end of a competition was definitely one of them. 

“Ha. No. Not, at _all _,” Yuuri answered. “If anything, _I’m_ the straight one of the two of us.” He stopped. “Straight-seeming,” he corrected carefully. Victor smiled to himself behind his burger. “No, we’re just not...like that. And, I don’t know, the whole situation...you, seeing him on my instagram, asking if he was my boyfriend...I can’t explain it, but it was really funny.” __

__“I’ll take your word for it, I guess.”_ _

__“I’m sorry. Maybe I’m a little more drunk than I thought.”_ _

__“Well, then food is exactly what you need. Though I might have picked something more starchy than a salad.”_ _

__“Ugh, I wish. I can’t believe you’re eating that. Don’t tell me you can eat anything you want, even during the season.” Yuuri frowned at him._ _

__“No, not usually. But I splurge after competitions.”_ _

__“Mmm, me too. Only when I win, though, so...” he gestured to his salad. Victor caught him looking longingly at his burger. He held it out to Yuuri._ _

__“Want a bite? I won’t tell.”_ _

__“Oh, yes,” Yuuri said with enthusiasm that almost sounded sexual. He looked up at Victor, as if to check if it was really ok, and then took the burger from him, taking a neat bite from the side opposite the one Victor had started eating. Yuuri moaned and thrust the burger back at Victor. He seemed to savor his bite, taking a while before swallowing. “Oh god, that’s the best thing I’ve tasted for _months._ He fell back against the sofa groaning again._ _

__Victor grinned at him and proffered the burger. “Wow! Have another bite.” Yuuri shook his head, waving him off. “Are you _sure?_ ” asked Victor in a seductive purr. “Have another bite, just so I can hear you make that noise again.” _ _

__Yuuri’s face flushed red and he buried his face in his hands, shaking with repressed laughter behind them. “You know you want it, Yuuri.” Victor could hardly keep his own laughter out of his voice enough to try for tempting. He waved the burger closer under Yuuri’s nose and wafted the scent towards him with his other hand._ _

__“Fine!” said Yuuri and he surged forward and bit the burger, still in Victor’s hand. Victor almost dropped it and had to use both hands to rescue it and keep the bottom bun from falling off. He placed it safely back on his plate before bursting into open-mouthed laughter. Yuuri’s mouth was still full and he covered it as he laughed as well. He struggled for a few seconds to chew and swallow. “You almost made me choke!” he burst out when he had a free mouth again._ _

__Victor laughed unrepentantly. As good as Yuuri’s moans had sounded, he preferred the laughter and shining eyes of the Yuuri glaring at him now._ _

__“Can I go back to my boring salad or are you going to try to choke me again?”_ _

__“I’ll be good, promise,” Victor swore solemnly. They finished their meal in relative piece, talking about skating, people they knew in common, dogs, and pretty much anything Victor could come up with that Yuuri might be interested in. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d tried so hard to impress someone with conversation. Somehow in the last few hours it had become desperately important that Yuuri Katsuki like him._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an incredibly difficult story to break up. But the second half is written, just needs a slight amount of editing and will be up later this week. 
> 
> Title is from the song "As The World Falls Down" from the Labyrinth soundtrack, written by David Bowie. 
> 
> Can I tell you how difficult it was to come up with past programs for Victor "I have custom music composed" Nikiforov? "Deathless" is a program based on the figure from Russian folklore Koschei the Deathless: a tall, skeletal immortal who locks his soul away to protect himself. I imagine Victor dressed as a skeleton with eye make-up straight from Georgi's playbook. But the program itself would be equal parts scary and sad, dealing with loneliness.
> 
> "Rusalka" is also from Russian folklore because I only had one freaking idea of how to come up with themes. BUT I love this idea because it involves long-haired Victor dressed in shimmering green/blue with shining scales, portraying a typically female monster seducing men to their deaths. I headcanon Victor had a major androgynous/non-binary period in his late teens and this would play into that. And I think Yuuri responds to it partly because of that and partly because it's Victor doing seduction.
> 
> In the next section I get to create a past program for Yuuri and there's also a lot of sexy stuff. 
> 
> Please, please give me feedback because I've been working on this for WEEKS! This will be a series so subscribe to the series not to miss future parts. And you can follow me at my 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The smut, and the morning after, in which Victor Nikiforov has zero chill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read, commented, kudosed, etc part one! This continues right where the first part left off.

_Somehow in the last few hours it had become desperately important that Yuuri Katsuki like him._

Victor thought he’d been doing fairly well. To judge by Yuuri’s responses to him, at least. To Victor’s ears his conversation sounded ridiculously unimaginative, but Yuuri was smiling a lot. Maybe he was just a kind person, though. (Victor was fairly sure he was.) But Victor also felt Yuuri was an innately honest person, someone who wouldn’t be able to fake interest for an entire night, surely. Victor wanted to kiss him again. He felt so much more confident in his kissing abilities than his conversational ones.

When they’d finished their food, they pushed back the service cart and leaned back into the loveseat. Victor wondered if he could simply skip straight to kissing Yuuri again. But...Yuuri had been ambiguous at best after their last kiss, so it was probably good etiquette to let him initiate anything more. Victor wasn’t sure if that was something that was likely to happen, though.

He remembered what he had been doing before their food arrived. He got up and grabbed his phone from the bed, returning to the sofa before Yuuri could escape to a piece of furniture that didn’t require them to almost brush thighs as they sat.

“Before, I was going to say that it’s unfair that you know all my programs and I’ve never even seen _one_ of yours.” He showed Yuuri the results still open from his earlier search and selected the first YouTube hit, a performance from the NHK this year.

“Oh, god, no!” Yuuri buried his face in his hands.

“What? It’s not like they’re, you know, a secret, right?” Victor’s attention was caught by the flush down the side of Yuuri’s neck. He wondered if the flush continued down under his shirt. He mentally shook himself.

“Oh, please, really!” Yuuri still wouldn’t look up.

“Why? Yuuri, you don’t want me to see?” Yuuri did look at him then, and Victor read _a lot_ happening behind his eyes. He wasn’t sure _what_ precisely it was, but it was there. Yuuri was conflicted.

“I...it’s...you...” Yuuri fluttered a hand vaguely, at a total loss for words. Meanwhile the video had loaded and music started playing from the phone in Victor’s hand. Yuuri slapped his hand down over the screen. “Not that one,” he said, firmly.

“Ok,” Victor looked at him, trying to puzzle out what was going on in the other skater’s head. “Will you pick one and just let me see one program, at least?” Yuuri looked hesitant, but slightly relieved. “I do really want to see you skate.”

Yuuri watched him for a few moments, the classical piece still playing from beneath Yuuri’s hand. “Ok, gimme the phone.” Victor handed it over. Yuuri tapped on it briefly and then handed it back reluctantly.

Victor saw from the title of the video that this was Yuuri’s free program from the previous year. It was set to “Scheherazade.” Yuuri was wearing a black costume with white frills at his wrists and throat. He looked stunningly beautiful done up for performance, with his hair slicked back and a touch of make-up accentuating his eyes. The skating began and Victor watched intently. Yuuri landed his first jump cleanly and he seemed confident. The commentary was in Japanese, which Victor was grateful for. Listening to a dissection of a program geared to a lay audience always distracted him.

Yuuri’s second jump combo was less steady and Victor felt Yuuri flinch next to him. “That was supposed to be a triple,” he explained. Victor was drawn in by Yuuri’s lyrical movements, and his step sequence was excellent. As was the next element, a combination spin. The second half of the program was also strong and contained Yuuri’s only quad jump, which he landed slightly two-footed. Victor was impressed by Yuuri’s emotional presentation, though. The music suited him, being both beautiful and strong, and his skating was strongest between jumps when he could focus on performance. Yuuri had the grace and artistry of a dancer and seemed to struggle the most with jumps.

The video ended with Yuuri standing, both arms reaching out in front of him, pleading with the imaginary viewer. In the instant he dropped the pose, his face flashed disappointment even though the crowd was cheering enthusiastically. It lasted only an instant though, before he was bowing and waving to the crowd. It made Victor wonder. If that was a disappointing performance for Yuuri, his career should be far better than it seemed to be and Victor would have expected to see and hear more of him.

He turned to Yuuri with a bright smile. “Yuuri, that was great!” Yuuri blushed and looked away quickly before flicking his eye back to Victor’s.

“You think so?” he asked.

“Of course! I’m impressed, really.” Yuuri’s blush darkened and he swallowed.

“It _was_ pretty good, for me,” he said quietly. “I’m...inconsistent.” Victor nodded thoughtfully. That made sense.

“Where did you place at that event?” he asked.

“Oh, that was Nationals. I took gold.” Victor looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “What?” asked Yuuri.

“You just seem so disappointed in yourself.” Yuuri shrugged, not responding. “The music is a good choice for you,” continued Victor. “Your presentation is excellent. Do you have a dance background?”

Yuuri smiled. “Yeah, I started ballet when I was really young. It was my ballet instructor who suggested I try skating.”

“It shows.” Yuuri’s face was still pink. He was clearly uncomfortable discussing his performance. “You skate beautifully, Yuuri.” Yuuri’s head snapped up and he met Victor’s eyes, his own wide.

“Really?” he asked, in a whisper. Victor smiled at the emotion shining in Yuuri’s eyes.

He nodded, his hand rising to cup Yuuri’s cheek gently. “Really.” He smirked a little. “I promise I’m not just saying that so you’ll let me kiss you again.” That surprised a soft laugh out of Yuuri. The smile fell off his face quickly, though, as he met Victor’s eyes again. His mouth fell open and Victor couldn’t resist running his thumb along his bottom lip. They breathed in the sudden hush for several moments, Victor afraid to break the fragile tension.

Then finally Yuuri moved, leaning towards Victor slightly, his neck stretching towards Victor’s face. Victor took that as permission and closed the gap between them hastily. Their lips met hungrily, the initial moments a confusion of noses, teeth, and tongues. Yuuri’s hands clutched at Victor, threading into his hair deliciously. Victor gripped the back of Yuuri’s neck with one hand and another snaked around his hip.

They kissed for a long time, writhing against each other as they took turns pressing each other back. The control of their kisses alternated between them. First Victor pressing Yuuri back and tasting as much as he could of his mouth and then Yuuri surging up and arching Victor’s spine back, climbing into his lap to have better leverage to ravish him. Victor was utterly lost in this man’s mouth, fire sparking through his body in response to the hands moving on him. Yuuri’s grip tightened in Victor’s hair, pulling it to expose Victor’s throat to his mouth. Victor moaned as the other man peppered his throat with kisses, licked a path down and back up.

One of Yuuri’s hands fumbled at Victor’s shirtfront, working to open the buttons from his throat down, his mouth following in the wake of his hands. Victor arched his back to give him better access and when the final button was undone, quickly shed his shirt, tossing it behind him to the floor. Victor tried to reach for Yuuri’s shirt, intending to do the same, but Yuuri didn’t allow it, instead holding Victor down by the shoulders as he traced curving paths across Victor’s chest with his tongue. Victor shuddered, submitting to the other man’s attentions, savoring the feeling of having someone else in control, of not having to worry if he was moving too fast or too slow. If Yuuri would take control of the entire encounter, Victor would let him, with pleasure.

Yuuri had focused his attention on Victor’s nipples, sucking at one while he rolled the other between his fingers and then switching. Victor hissed in appreciation, one hand lightly cupping the back of Yuuri’s head. When the attention to his nipples became overwhelming, he tugged lightly, guiding Yuuri up so he could kiss him some more. Yuuri kissed him enthusiastically, but before long he was tracing a trail back down Victor’s chest. This time he stopped over Victor’s abdominals, licking stripes across the ridged muscles. His hands kneaded Victor’s thighs and soon Victor was tilting his hips very slightly, his very rigid arousal begging for stimulation. Yuuri’s cheek was tantalizingly close to the bulge in his trousers and it took quite a bit of self-control not to thrust up enough to press against him.

Before too long, though, Yuuri shifted, using his grip on Victor’s thighs to lower himself to the floor, kneeling in front of Victor. Victor’s breath caught as Yuuri looked up, a vision of lustful beauty between Victor’s thighs. Yuuri placed a hand at Victor’s belt, looking a question at him.

“If...if you want to. We don’t have to,” Victor stammered, his breath coming in shallow pants between his words.

“I want to,” said Yuuri lowly, hand moving to slowly unfasten the buckle of Victor’s belt.

Victor nodded then in confirmation, and Yuuri finished opening his buckle swiftly, then the button and fly of his trousers. He gripped the waistband of the trousers and his underwear together, and Victor lifted his hips to let him pull them down to his ankles.

Victor gasped as the fabric jerked his erection down before sliding off to free it entirely. He shook one foot out of his clothing to spread his legs wider, giving Yuuri better access. Yuuri moved closer to the loveseat, tracing both hands up the insides of Victor’s thighs. Victor sighed, biting his lip at the sensation. Yuuri’s eyes were fixed on his cock and he seemed in no hurry to actually touch it, just stroking Victor’s thighs and staring at it hungrily.

Victor’s patience ran out. “Please,” he groaned and Yuuri’s eyes flicked up to his as if startled from a daydream. Yuuri smiled at him a bit wickedly, and then bent to take Victor into his mouth. Victor cried out at the first touch of lips and tongue on the head of his cock, choking off the sound to keep it from echoing around the room. Yuuri took him deeper, tongue pressed against his shaft, moaning a bit around the mouthful. Victor couldn’t keep himself from burying a hand in his hair, directing Yuuri to speed his movements a bit. Yuuri obliged, sucking him with enthusiasm. Victor was torn between the desire to let his head fall back completely against the loveseat and the desire to watch Yuuri as he pleasured him.

Tendrils of sensation spread through him from his cock outward. Victor was quickly losing control over his body, his hands clenching, one in Yuuri’s hair, one in the fabric of the sofa. His hips rocked, pressing ever more insistently up until Yuuri shifted his hands and pressed him back down into the cushions. Victor whimpered at that. He vaguely wondered if Yuuri was really incredible at giving head or if it just felt that way because Victor wanted him so badly. Yuuri’s tongue curled around his cock and Victor quickly realized it could be _both._ Yuuri bent over further and took Victor deeper, until Victor felt the back of his throat. His strangled cry did echo off the ceiling then. Yuuri quickly did it again and Victor felt everything in him surge.

“If you do that again, I’m going to come,” he choked out. Yuuri pulled off him, breathing heavily and looked at him.

“Do you want to?” he asked. Victor just stared at him blankly for a moment, his thoughts fractured. He couldn’t possibly decide because the answer was clearly both ‘Yes, I want to come down your throat’ and ‘No, I don’t want to come yet because I’m not nearly done with you yet.’  
Instead of answering, he grabbed at Yuuri and pulled him up from his knees until he was kneeling next to him on the loveseat. He kissed him fiercely, tasting himself on the other man’s tongue.

“You’re way too clothed,” murmured Victor against his lips, his hands searching out the buttons of his shirt. He worked at them while kissing Yuuri, which meant it took a while to get the shirt completely unbuttoned and off. When it was, Victor pressed Yuuri against the back of the sofa and ran his hands over his chest and stomach.

“Beautiful,” he breathed before lowering his head and covering his skin with kisses and licks. Yuuri whimpered under him, writhing and arching. Victor could lose himself completely in those sounds, in the feel of his skin under his hands, his mouth. He sought out the spots that made Yuuri make the most noise and sucked at them, leaving little marks in the hollow of his breast bone, just above his belly button, the crook of his neck. When he was done, Yuuri was half draped across his lap, his lower back held up by Victor’s arm, his eyes glazed.

Victor looked from the front of Yuuri’s track pants to his face. “What do you want, Yuuri?” he asked.

Yuuri took a couple of breaths, back still arched. “Anything,” he sighed.

Victor shook he head slightly. “No, I want to hear what you _want._ ,” he clarified. He moved closer to Yuuri, lowering his voice. “I want to give you what you want.” Yuuri looked at him for a still moment, searching. Victor saw him come to a decision.

“Will you fuck me?” he asked softly, but clearly. His voice didn’t waver, his face didn’t flush. Victor’s eyes widened and he sucked in a breath. He fell on Yuuri’s lips and kissed him, pressing his tongue into his mouth deeply. Yuuri melted under him, his arms coming around Victor’s neck.

Victor pulled back, breathless. “If that’s what you really want,” he began, asking a silent question with his eyes and not seeing any hesitation in Yuuri’s, “then I’d love to.” Yuuri nodded. Victor smiled, pulling back from his embrace and standing.

He extended a hand out to Yuuri, who took it. Victor pulled him to his feet and took advantage of their position to wrap his arms around the slightly shorter man and kiss him while they stood. It was fantastic to feel Yuuri’s firm body pressed into him along their whole lengths. He could feel Yuuri’s erection against his hip and the fabric of Yuuri’s track pants was cool against his own.

Victor backed up until the back of his legs hit the bed and then he sat, pulling Yuuri down with him. He’d intended to flip and press Yuuri down into the bed but instead the man straddled Victor, grinding his clothed crotch down on Victor’s exposed one. Victor moaned and Yuuri pressed a hand into the center of his chest to press him back. Yuuri crawled over him and pressed his mouth to Victor’s neck, sucking hard. Victor moaned and thrust up, looking for more contact. Yuuri laughed softly and continued to nuzzle at him, licking, nipping, sucking, until Victor was nearly sobbing.

He felt like he’d unleashed some incredible force and was now at it’s mercy. He was profoundly grateful to have this amazing man’s attention and he would give him anything he wanted, do anything he wanted. Yuuri could probably have asked anything of Victor, no matter how out of his comfort zone, and he would have done it, with enthusiasm. The fact that what he’d asked was for Victor to fuck him, something that sounded like pure bliss? That was just a bonus.

Eventually Yuuri was done taking Victor apart with his mouth, and he sat back, looking down on him. Victor felt entirely vulnerable and open to his view. He was probably a mess, his hair everywhere, his body coated in sweat and saliva, his cock leaking onto his belly, his lips red and bitten, face flushed.

But Yuuri looked at him like he was gorgeous, looked at him with hunger, in fact licked his lips as he looked. Victor pressed up onto his elbows. “If you’d rather, you can fuck me instead,” he offered. Yuuri started, suddenly looking less like a debauched god of sex and more like the shy man who blushed so easily.

“No! I...I mean, thank you...I’d...but I really want you. To take me.” Victor couldn’t take this combination of hesitation and ravishment any more. It was going to kill him. He sat up fully, taking Yuuri by the arms.

“Ok, then,” he said, darting in for a kiss. “Do you have the necessary supplies?” It took a minute for Yuuri to register his question, and then he started.

“Oh! Right! Umm, yeah, thankfully,” he said blushing. “In my bathroom stuff. Hold on.” Victor let him up and watched him walk across the room and disappear into the bathroom. Victor got up to fetch some water from their dinner tray and placed it within easy reach on the bedside table. He palmed his erection and jerked it a couple times to make sure he stayed completely hard. And then he laid back against the pillows, arms folded under his head.

He got the reaction he was looking for when Yuuri reappeared. He treasured the sight of Yuuri’s face breaking into lust at the sight of him. It was intoxicating to know he was wanted, to think maybe Yuuri wanted him as much as he wanted Yuuri. Victor crooked a finger at Yuuri to bring him closer.

When Yuuri came around to his side of the bed, Victor pulled him down to sit next to him. He kissed him briefly, and then turned around to press Yuuri down onto his back. He ran his hands along the front of Yuuri’s body, looking up for final permission before pulling on the elastic waistband of his pants. When Yuuri nodded, Victor tugged them off in one smooth motion.

Victor looked down at Yuuri, who had bent his legs up almost like a defense against Victor’s gaze. Victor watched the flush spread down onto Yuuri’s chest. Victor gently placed his hands on Yuuri’s knees and pressed them apart and down, moving to kneel between his now spread legs. Yuuri was breathing heavily when Victor flicked a glance back up at his face.

Victor couldn’t help returning his gaze to Yuuri’s cock. It was flushed dark, veins standing out on the underside of the thick shaft. Yuuri wasn’t overly long, but he was thick, and it made Victor fantasize about climbing on top of him and riding him hard.

Victor forced his mind back to the present, placing a hand flat on Yuuri’s stomach about an inch above the head of his cock. Yuuri shivered, and Victor slowly moved his hand downwards, skirting the erection, stroking down to the crease of his leg. He massaged into the muscles of Yuuri’s thighs with both hands, enjoying the way they relaxed into a wider spread. When Yuuri started lifting his hips slightly in time with the press of Victor’s thumbs, he move his right hand to grasp the base of his cock, bringing it towards him so he could take it into his mouth.

Yuuri moaned, and Victor took him in until the head of his cock was brushing the roof of his mouth. Victor felt rushed a bit, so he didn’t tease. He stroked with his hand while he hollowed his cheeks, tongue flicking across the head as he pulled back. Yuuri writhed and whimpered and Victor smiled around his cock.

After a few strokes like this, a hand fisted into Victor’s hair and Yuuri gasped, “ _Fuck_ , Victor.” Victor released his cock and smiled up at him proudly. “You’re fucking good at that,” said Yuuri and Victor laughed.

Victor sat up, looking to the nightstand where Yuuri had placed the small bottle of lube and two condom packets. Victor reached for them, placing them next to him on the bed. He opened the bottle of lube, but looked to Yuuri before dispensing any of it. He saw something like apprehension in Yuuri’s face, and thought he noticed a new tension in his body.

“Is this ok?” he asked. Yuuri nodded. “We don’t have to, or don’t have to yet if you’re not ready,” he said.

“No, please, Victor,” replied Yuuri, and it was a soft plea, but it sounded genuine to Victor’s ears. So he coated the fingers of his right hand in a good amount of lube, a small amount falling to stain the sheets.

He pressed a finger against Yuuri’s opening, tracing circles around the tight muscle, pressing just the very tip of his finger into the ring. Yuuri’s hips tilted in time with his movements, a sound of pleasure coming from between his closed lips. Encouraged, Victor pressed one finger further in before stopping to let the muscle relax. Yuuri was tight, and Victor settled in for a long session of preparation. He didn’t mind; he wanted to give Yuuri as much pleasure as possible and he could do that with his fingers as much as with his cock.

As he was able to slide further into Yuuri, he bent his head to lick up the underside of his cock. He was rewarded with a buck of Yuuri’s hips and a cry. He chuckled and thrust the rest of the way inside him, until his knuckles were pressing against the ring of muscle. He kneaded with them, thrusting several more times with one finger before he felt things starting to relax. He added a second finger, to Yuuri’s evident delight. He could see why Yuuri had asked Victor to top him, as he obviously enjoyed being filled.

Once two fingers were seated fully in, Victor took Yuuri’s cock back in his mouth, bobbing his head and moving his fingers in a counterpoint rhythm. Yuuri expressed his appreciation with a continuous litany of noises, and Victor continued until he was gasping. He pulled off his cock, then, but continued moving his fingers in and out, the slide getting easier all the time.

When it seemed Yuuri had his breath back, Victor crooked his fingers up, knowing he’d hit the right spot when Yuuri bucked and gave a sob.

“Good?” asked Victor, pressing again into the bundle of nerves.

“Ah! Ah. Umm,” said Yuuri. “Fuck.” Victor grinned. “Yeah, yes, good,” managed Yuuri finally. Victor didn’t hesitate to press harder, thrusting in and out with force, his other hand going to hold Yuuri’s hips against the mattress so his bucking didn’t injure either of them. Victor noticed the head of Yuuri’s cock was leaking and he wondered how long it would take to make him come just from prostate stimulation. But he reminded himself he had a request to fulfill and he’d rather Yuuri not come until he was fucking him.

When Victor added a third finger, Yuuri hissed sharply for the first time. Victor stilled his movements. “Alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, just...” said Yuuri. Victor obediently waited, letting the other man adjust to the stretch. After a moment he started moving in very tiny shifts back and forth. He felt the pressure lessen against his fingers gradually. Yuuri nodded at him and he pressed deeper and started to move again. It was obvious that Yuuri was feeling more overwhelmed now, his moans having changed to small whimpers and hitches in his breath.

Before too long, Victor’s fingers were moving smoothly and Yuuri spoke up, “Victor. I want you.”

“You’re ready?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Yuuri’s eyelids were heavy and he looked at Victor through his lashes.

“Ok,” said Victor, gently removing his fingers. He reached for some tissues from the box on the bedside table to wipe them, grabbing some extra to set next to them as well. He opened a condom packet and unrolled it over his hard length.

“Is it better for you like this, or do you want to roll over?” he asked.

Yuuri looked a bit surprised and blushed before responding. “Like this,” he said. “I want to see you.” He smiled slightly and Victor grinned back at him. He grabbed a pillow from the other side of the bed and motioned for Yuuri to lift his hips so he could slide it under his ass for a better angle. He then positioned himself over Yuuri, sliding his knees under the other man’s bent legs.

Victor guided his cock to Yuuri’s entrance and pressed against it. He pressed forward slowly against the tight ring, increasing the force until it parted and allowed him inside. They both gasped at the sensation and Victor’s eyes fluttered closed for a second as he felt the tightness around the head of his cock. He opened them to find Yuuri looking up at him, his face open and vulnerable. Victor felt a surge of protectiveness rise in his chest. He wanted to shelter this beautiful boy from any hurt or harm, wanted to make him safe and let him fall apart in his arms.

Victor pressed deeper into Yuuri and watched as Yuuri’s jaw fell farther open, his mouth crying out soundlessly. Victor leaned over him, close enough to kiss, pressing a little deeper. He caught Yuuri’s whimper in his mouth, placing an open mouthed kiss on his lips.

“Is it good, _krasavchik_?” he murmured lowly, lips ghosting over Yuuri’s.

“Uh-huh,” agreed Yuuri. Victor shifted a little backwards and thrust forward slowly. Yuuri moaned. “What was that?”

“Hmm? Oh, _krasavchik_?” His hips flexed into Yuuri again.

“Ah. Yes. What does it mean?”

“Mmm, beautiful boy,” he answered. Victor mouthed at Yuuri’s jawline, following the curve up to his ear. “Are you my _krasavchik_?” he whispered.

“Yesss,” hissed Yuuri, lifting his hips to shift Victor inside him. “Yes, god, I’m yours,” he cried with a sob as Victor thrust again. Victor bit down into the side of Yuuri’s neck, winning a squeal from him. He felt an urge to mark him, to leave evidence that he’d been here on his flesh. It probably wasn’t the best idea, but Victor was beyond that now. He moved a bit lower on Yuuri’s neck and sucked a bruise into his skin, not knowing if the moaning vibrating through the throat under his lips was due to what his cock or his mouth was doing.

He broke apart from Yuuri’s neck and pushed himself up. He shifted to get better leverage to drive harder into Yuuri’s ass, and Yuuri gripped his upper arms, silently urging him on. Yuuri’s cries were starting to break and lose their rhythm, so Victor shifted again, sliding his hands under Yuuri’s hips to tilt them at a greater incline. When he thrust at this new angle, Yuuri bucked strongly, a high whine leaving his throat. He must have succeeded at finding the right angle.

Victor continued to thrust relentlessly, steadily sliding past the spot that made Yuuri keen and shiver. Yuuri’s whole body was tensed, his eyes and mouth wide open, his hands gripping the sheets tightly at his sides. Victor silently urged him over the edge. He wanted to watch him come completely to pieces. Victor felt himself getting nearer to the edge himself, and his bit his lip to try to hold himself back long enough to take Yuuri where he wanted him to go.

Yuuri’s mouth formed the beginnings of words, but he couldn’t seem to make the sounds of speech. The only sounds he managed came from deeper in his throat. Gutteral grunts and whines of need. Yuuri’s eyes were pleading with Victor, his face an entreaty. Suddenly Victor felt himself very close. He moved a hand to pull at Yuuri’s cock, once, twice, and then the body under him arched up hard, a hoarse cry ripping it’s way out of Yuuri, his ass clenching tight around Victor. Victor who was also in the middle of orgasm, his hips thrusting hard against Yuuri, the tight clench around his cock turning almost painful as they thrashed together.

Eventually Yuuri relaxed back against the mattress, and Victor could breathe again as the furious grip around his cock eased. He gasped for air, his body jerking a few more times as he blinked his vision back into focus. He slowly and gradually eased out of Yuuri’s body. He disposed of the condom and wiped himself with a tissue, passing the rest to Yuuri before he collapsed at the man’s side.

They lay next to each other in silence, both working to catch their breath. Victor’s body felt electrified, shudders of current still passing through him at random, the heat that had risen in him leeching out as his skin cooled. After some minutes he notice Yuuri was staring at the ceiling, a far away look on his face.

Victor ran his hand down his arm gently to get his attention. “Everything ok?” When Yuuri looked at him, Victor saw his eyes were shining. He didn’t look unhappy, though. Or happy exactly, either. Victor felt his concern deepen. He wished he could get a handle on this boy, but it seemed like Yuuri was constantly slipping sideways just when he didn’t expect it. Suddenly Victor realized he wanted to have a chance to learn to read him. He wanted to spend enough time with Yuuri to really understand him. It was a shockingly new feeling.

It seemed Yuuri didn’t feel like talking, because he just looked at Victor in that indescribable way. So Victor scooted closer, wrapping his arm and leg around him, and kissed him. Yuuri went pliant against him, kissing back softly. These slow, unhurried kisses were delicious. Victor decided he liked all of Yuuri’s kisses, and he especially liked how many kinds there seemed to be.

Yuuri pulled away first, but he rested his head on Victor’s chest and wove his leg in between Victor’s. Victor let the feeling of contentment spread fully through his body. He realized it had been a long time since he’d felt so good, so...happy. He thought ahead to the next day, and the undeniable fact that they would be forced apart, both leaving to return to training on opposite sides of the globe. He wondered how long the flight to Detroit was…

~~~~~

Victor awoke to the pounding of a fist on his door. When he opened his eyes, the room was bright, very bright. And there was someone in his bed. _Oh._ It wasn’t his bed. It was Yuuri’s bed, and his door that someone was knocking on. Yuuri slept next to Victor, completely undisturbed by the loud noise. And he was beautiful. His dark hair splayed on his pillow, one hand under his face and the other clutched delicately around his own wrist. Victor realized Yuuri had very beautiful hands.

The pounding grew more insistent. “Yuuri,” Victor said softly, shaking him. “Yuuri, wake up, someone’s at your door.” Yuuri groaned and tried to roll over, but Victor didn’t let him. “Yuuri, wake up, I think it’s important.”

Yuuri opened his eyes, looking at Victor in shock. And then he blushed, deep red. “V-victor?” he asked, as if not believing his eyes.

“Yes, _krasavchik_ , good morning, but I think you need to go answer the door.” Yuuri’s head spun towards the pounding, which was now accompanied by a male voice calling Yuuri’s name.

“Oh, shit, Ciao Ciao!” he hissed, throwing the covers off, feeling around the table for his glasses, and looking around for something to put on. He threw up his hands and headed to the door, ducking into the bathroom to grab a towel to wrap around his waist.

Victor huddled into the bed, pulling his feet in to make sure they weren’t visible from the door. He certainly didn’t mind if anyone knew he’d spent the night with Yuuri, but he didn’t know if the other man felt the same way. He heard Yuuri open the door and the frustrated voice of his coach berating him for not answering his phone or his door in a timely manner.

“Sorry, Celestino, I, umm, had a lot to drink last night.”

“Yes, I heard,” came the Italian’s disapproving voice. “I was starting to worry you were dead of alcohol poisoning.”

“No, I’m...mostly ok. Don’t worry about me.”

“Well, now I’m worried we’ll miss our flight. It leaves in three hours! Do you need help getting your things packed?” It sounded like Celestino tried to step into the room, but Yuuri stopped him.

“No, no, no, it’s fine! I’ve got it! It won’t take me long. I just need to shower and then I’ll be ready. I’m almost completely packed.”

“Well, alright, I’m grabbing breakfast downstairs, but I’ll expect you in 20 minutes, ok? No more!”

“Ok! Sure.” The door closed again and Victor heard Yuuri exhale. Victor sat up. Yuuri reappeared with his hand to his forehead.

“Hungover?” asked Victor sympathetically.

“Not really,” said Yuuri, “Just, ugh, not in the mood to deal with Celestino and an airport.”

Victor looked around the room, where both of their clothing was strewn. Yuuri’s suitcase was sitting in a corner, mostly empty. “Do you need help packing?”

“Oh, no, I...you don’t have to...” Victor held up a hand to stop him.

“You only have twenty minutes. I’ve been traveling for over fifteen years, I promise I’m good at packing. Go shower, I’ll pack your stuff.” Victor made a shooing motion with his hands. Yuuri looked dazed, still. “If you don’t, you could miss your plane. Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe I shouldn’t and then you’ll have to stay...” Yuuri just looked at him blankly.

“Umm, ok, I’m gonna shower,” he said finally, turning to go. Victor got up, first hunting for his own clothing and pulling them back on. He also collected Yuuri’s clothes from under the bed and the loveseat. He rescued Yuuri’s phone out of his trouser pocket, noting the messages on the lock screen were in Japanese. He folded Yuuri’s dirty things and put them in his suitcase.

Next he looked to the drawers of the dresser, examining their contents. He set aside a clean pair of underwear (choosing the ones he thought would be most attractive), socks, a plain white t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. He noted absently that none of Yuuri’s clothes were very nice brands, and seemed to be poorly made. He thought he’d have to take him shopping some time. He carried everything else to the suitcase and pressed it inside.

Next Victor investigated the wardrobe. Yuuri’s costumes hung here, along with a hanging travel bag. He didn’t want to touch the costumes, as skaters were often particular about how they were handled and packed. Or, at least, _he_ was. There wasn’t much hanging here, a couple of button-up shirts, and another pair of slacks. Victor packed the slacks, and the more boring of the two shirts.

As he was pressing the last piece into Yuuri’s bag, he noticed something on the floor. It was Yuuri’s tie from the night before, tossed haphazardly into a corner when they’d come back, most likely. Victor picked it up and studied it. It was a terrible baby blue color, and looked terrible with Yuuri’s stunning chocolate eyes. Victor smirked, and shoved the tie into his own pants pocket. He would do Yuuri this favor, and get rid of it. He tried to ignore the knowledge that there was no way he’d be able to actually destroy a reminder of last night. Fine. He’d have a horribly ugly tie as a keepsake and Yuuri would be spared having to ever wear it again.

He heard the water stop in the shower, and he reached for his phone where it had been abandoned near the loveseat. He checked his messages, noticing a couple from Yakov asking if he was awake yet, and one from Chris last night reminding him to use protection. Victor couldn’t even bring himself to feel properly annoyed about that one, remembering how amazing everything had turned out.

Yuuri emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, once more wearing only a towel. Victor congratulated himself for not rushing across the room to him and throwing him on the bed. Yuuri didn’t quite make eye contact with him, but he did smile in his general direction. Victor pointed out the clothes he’d left on the bed and ducked past Yuuri to use the bathroom himself. He used the hotel mouth wash, rinsing thoroughly.

Yuuri was pulling the T-shirt on over his head when Victor returned, to his disappointment. Victor stood looking at him for a few moments, trying to mentally catalog all his features. Yuuri looked over at him, then, before flicking his eyes to the clock anxiously. Victor stepped forward, cupping Yuuri’s cheek with a hand.

“I wish you weren’t leaving today,” he said.

Yuuri smiled sadly. “Me, too,” he whispered. Victor’s heart soared. He had wondered, since they’d woken up, if Yuuri was regretting last night. He’d been acting awkward and stiff. But there was real feeling behind his words, and Victor believed him.

“Of course, I’m leaving today, too, but I’d change my flight if I could have another day with you.” He ducked his head and kissed Yuuri then, trying to say all the things he wanted to communicate. They didn’t have time, and Victor didn’t have the words anyway. He hoped Yuuri could feel some of them in his kiss, though.

Yuuri was the first to pull away, but he looked almost as devastated as Victor felt. “I have to get going,” he said.

“I know,” Victor nodded. “I just...I want you to know...” He kissed Yuuri again briefly. “Last night was amazing.”

“Yeah. It was.” They looked at each other for a moment, both on the verge of speaking, but finally, Yuuri looked away. Victor retrieved his phone, opening a new contact.

“I need your number.”

“Oh.” Yuuri took the phone and tapped at it before handing it back. “I need yours, too.”

“I’ll text you right now,” Victor said, opening a message. His mind promptly went blank. He wanted it to say something perfect. He noticed Yuuri watching him, standing there not typing. So he quickly pecked out ‘It’s Victor’ added a row of hearts and hit send. “There,” he said.

He heard Yuuri’s phone ding from the bed. Victor turned reluctantly to go. “Guess I’ll get going, let you finish packing so your coach doesn’t kill you.”

Before he was even done speaking, though, a hand gripped his arm and he was being spun back to Yuuri. Yuuri crashed into him, pulling Victor’s head down and meeting his lips in a crushing kiss. Victor shuddered and responded, diving into Yuuri’s mouth, their tongues twisting together. He pressed the shorter man to him, hands in the curve of his lower back. They moaned into each other’s mouths, before Yuuri finally broke them apart with a gasp.

They stood separated by a handful of centimeters, breathing heavily, emotions written boldly on their faces. Victor raised a hand and pressed his thumb into Yuuri’s lips. “Call me later?” he asked.

“Yeah,” said Yuuri, nodding vigorously.

“I’m going,” said Victor. Yuuri nodded. And Victor turned, squeezing his eyes shut for a second before moving towards the door. He managed to resist looking back at Yuuri until he’d opened the door. When he did he nearly let the door fall closed behind him. But he resisted and smiled at Yuuri, blowing him a kiss before ducking quickly through the door.

He walked briskly to the elevator, not letting himself relax until he was safely on the other side of its doors. And then he let his head fall heavily back into the mirrored wall, with a painful thump.

When he reached his hotel room he stripped and took a hot shower, trying not to imagine an alternate morning scenario in which he was showering with Yuuri. He felt incredibly unsettled in his own skin, like his body was braced for action. He felt he belonged somewhere else, not here in his empty room, pretending his entire world hadn’t been upended in the last 12 hours.

Victor tried to force himself to calm, moving through his morning routine slowly and deliberately. He occupied himself with choosing what to wear, carefully hanging up his creased suit jacket and trousers. To be on the safe side he started packing his suitcase, emptying his drawers methodically.

By the time he was done, he was confident Yuuri was gone from the hotel and no matter what he wanted, he couldn’t chase him down and make a scene. Victor picked up his phone.

 **Victor Nikiforov:** Yuuri, let me know that you make it to your plane on time.  
**Victor Nikiforov:** And if you don’t I’ll come get you and reschedule mine. ಠ‿↼

He waited for a reply, before realizing he was walking in circles in his own hotel room. He decided to head downstairs to get breakfast in the restaurant. He kept his phone in his hand, but managed not to actively stare at it while he rode the elevator. As he crossed the lobby, it vibrated.

 **Yuuri Katsuki:** Ok. I’m in the taxi now.  
**Yuuri Katsuki:** I think we’ll make it on time.

  
**Victor Nikiforov:** I’d feel bad if you missed your flight.

  
**Yuuri Katsuki:** It would have been worth it.

  
**Victor Nikiforov:** (｡♥‿♥｡)

Victor made his way into the restaurant which had a self- serve breakfast buffet laid out. He was happy to see Chris sitting at a two- person table by himself. Victor rushed over to him and sat in the empty chair.

“Chris!” he said, placing a hand on the other man’s knee. Chris looked at him with some surprise.

“Victor? How was your night?” he asked, tone knowing.

“Chris, I’m in _love!_ ” Victor was practically vibrating with the thrill of telling someone.

Chris huffed a surprised laugh. “Really? So you did get some. And he was that good?”

“Good?” Victor searched for the right word, inspiration failing him. “It was...amazing. But not just the sex, Chris, that’s not it. He’s… _perfect._ ”

Chris looked at him, eyes narrowed. “Really? You, Victor? Head over heels like this after one night?”

“ _Yes._ Chris, I’ve never felt this way before. I really think...I’m really in love.” Something flickered behind Chris’s eyes at that, but only for an instant.

“Well where is he? Did you wear him out?” Chris asked.

“No, he’s gone already. Early flight,” Victor said sadly.

“Oh. All the way to the US, too, right? It’s a long way.” Chris popped the last of his muffin into his mouth.

“I _know_ , Chris. I don’t know what to do!” Victor propped his head in his hands morosely. “I want to jump on a plan right now and follow him.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” warned Chris with a chuckle.

“I know, I know.” Victor pouted to himself for a moment.

“You’ll see him at Worlds.” Victor thought Chris sounded far too unconcerned about his potential suffering.

“ _Worlds?_ That’s...a million years away!” Victor whined. His stomach growled. “Dammit, I’m going to get some breakfast.”

He ate with relish, and in between bites told Chris about the previous night. Chris started to look a little tired of hearing Victor praise Yuuri after a while. Eventually, Victor’s phone buzzed again.

“Oh! It’s him!” he said.

“I’ll let you talk to the future Mr. Nikiforov, then,” said Chris dryly. He stood and made his escape, getting only a wave goodbye from the distracted Victor.

 **Yuuri Katsuki** : At the terminal waiting to board. All ok.

  
**Victor Nikiforov:** Good.  
**Victor Nikiforov:** I miss you already, красавчик.

There was a pause while Yuuri typed; he apparently deleted what he’d written a few times before finally sending it.

 **Yuuri Katsuki:** I still can’t believe last night really happened.  
**Yuuri Katsuki:** sure you’re not a drunken hallucination?

  
**Victor Nikiforov:** Can hallucinations text?  
**Victor Nikiforov:** I feel pretty real to me.

  
**Yuuri Katsuki:** You felt pretty real to me last night, too.

Victor gasped to himself. He tried to come up with an appropriate response but was interrupted by the next text.

 **Yuuri Katsuki:** gotta go  
**Yuuri Katsuki:** boarding

  
**Victor Nikiforov:** Safe flight. Let me know when you get home.

Victor closed his messages and starting searching for flights to Detroit. Just to price it. Then he started googling dates: Japanese Nationals, European Championships, Four Continents. He would figure something out. He was determined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of the first story in this series. I have already started writing a sequel, but I can't say how long it will take me to write. I didn't want to have a WIP open not knowing how frequently I could update it, which is why I decided to make it a series of fics. 
> 
> So please subscribe to the series to be notified when the next part goes up. You can also follow me on [Tumblr](http://kimthreerings.tumblr.com) and get the inside scoop.
> 
> Ok, story notes. First I have to admit to being wrong about the lyrics to "As the World Falls Down" by David Bowie. So I named this fic after an incorrect song lyric. Oops. From now on I'm going to pretend I was being totally original in my title creation, then. 
> 
> Yuuri's past program is set to "Scheherazade" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a popular piece to skate to. It seems mostly women have skated to it recently, with the exception of Evan Lysacek a while back. I originally thought of it as a piece for Victor to skate to, but he wouldn't do anything so unoriginal, of course. You can watch Yuna Kim win the World Championship skating to this [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW3qRsZ4KSg)
> 
> The costume described is one of those glimpsed on the JPF page that I desperately wish we could see in better quality. The mostly-black outfit seemed the closest to Eros!Yuuri I could give Victor. 
> 
> "krasavchik" = красавчик = pretty boy, beautiful boy, "hottie", dreamboat, etc. 
> 
> The sequel will be Yuuri POV, starting from this morning, with him freaking the hell out about the night before. Expect lots of texting, social media, long-distance contact, and Phichit. 
> 
> Until I have that ready, check out my other fics, especially my [ongoing multichapter WIP](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10794513/chapters/23943609) which I think you'll like if you liked this one. It's lots of healthy relationship conversations, fluff, and smut and updates weekly.


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